Anyone have any thoughts about Ovation acoustic guitars? I remember playing a buddies and loved the shape and thought it was a much more comfortable acoustic guitar than anything else. Wife and Daughter and I kicking around the idea of learning guitar together. I haven't played in like...10 years? It's been a long time. Anyways, wife wants an acoustic guitar and I've been leaning to those as a good option for the acoustic/electric and comfort and learning level guitar.
Do you have a budget in mind? We could offer some suggestions; different brands stand out in different price brackets.
Also, the most common size and shape of acoustic guitar you're likely to find is a dreadnaught. It's also one of the largest. If you're going to be learning with your daughter, depending on her age, you might want to look in to other sizes and shapes, like 000/OM, or down to 00 and 0 (manufacturers will refer to them with other names like Orchestra/Concert/Auditorium/Parlor guitars). If comfort is something you're looking for, that may help when looking outside of Ovations.
Thanks guys. Budget I'm thinking around $500. Which certainly doesn't buy a lot of guitar. I'm a bit more out of my depth with acoustic. I've played on some nice Martin's, I can't recall which brand but my band/guitar teacher had an amazing acoustic that I loved playing but I wrote that one out because I'm sure that one was crazy cash money. I played pretty solidly for 3-4 years then dropped it, so I'm not in a spot to really have an ear for good sound. I'll mostly be looking at what doesn't hurt as bad when playing at the store. I'm also not in a hurry to buy, just wanted opinions because I figure we could go check out the guitar store nearby for funsies tonight.
Yeah, didn't really think much of it tbh. It was a one positive experience in a sea of mediocre guitar options. There were like 30 students per class and all of them had cheap entry level guitars. I'll look into Takamine and likely gravitate that way, also had good experiences with them. I just know this isn't a strong area of expertise for me.
Again, thanks for the inputs.
For acoustic electric options (if I really want that path), is there a big difference? Should I find a good acoustic and then grab an acoustic pickup for it? Or look for something built in?
Agreed, you could get an acoustic/electric Takamine that sounds decent and stays in tune.
If you wanted a Martin you could probably find one for another $500 but not even a guitar snob would turn their nose up at a Takamine.
And if they would, they’re probably one of those die-hard brand loyal weirdos.
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BhowSunny day, sweeping the clouds away.On my way to where the air is sweet.Registered Userregular
$500 can buy a lot of guitar, especially if you're open to a gently used pre-owned item. If you're in an at least moderately populated area, you should have a wealth of options. Play as many as you can, choose what feels/sounds good.
$500 can buy a lot of guitar, especially if you're open to a gently used pre-owned item. If you're in an at least moderately populated area, you should have a wealth of options. Play as many as you can, choose what feels/sounds good.
Yes do pick a guitar you can afford but like the feel of as that is very important
Yeah, that's my plan is to rotate through the various shops to get a feel again and see the options. See what size might be good for the kiddo. She's 12 though, so I don't need a junior one.
I do regret not really playing the last guitar I bought (like 12 years ago), I wanted a Les Paul and got one that looked great but was super heavy which turned me off to playing it.
Opposite opinion time. I love the sound of my Ovation. I dig the darker lower end tone it generates. Works will for the type of music I use it for where I want to have either an electric guitar, keys, or some VST instruments playing higher. The guitar stays in tune and plays well. Would I also like to have a Martin? Hell yeah but I would use it for a different purpose.
If you find an instrument you like the sound and feel of it (and is functional), buy it. It's all personal preference when it comes to sound.
Except for the gain knob, it's not a volume knob. Also, scooped EQ sounds great in your bedroom at low volume but terrible in a larger space at high volume. I'll fight tooth and nail on those.
Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Even with a $500 budget I'd start with a $75 3/4 Yamaha starter guitar for your kid, because their first guitar is gonna be the one that gets all kinds of dinged up, scratched, and abused. If she loves guitar and keeps playing, well then her 13th or 14th birthday present can be a real kick-ass Martin or something like that.
Well we went in, looked and played on a few guitars. Was pretty good to get a better understanding of what I am looking at. I didn't think that 500 would go all that far but it looks like we'll have pretty great options.
They only had the cheapest Ovation around so I didn't get to see the full range. Also good lord acoustics feel pretty bulky. I'll need to adjust my expectations there. Maybe that's another reason Ovation felt nice to me.
She's actually pretty good with instruments. She plays viola at school and also has a mid size Ukulele that doesn't get a lot of action, but she's pretty good on the treatment of instruments. I may still err lower in the budget anyways. Also realize that a case would be a good investment so something to grab as well.
I would say if you were near NW Ohio you could have mine, I've lost a lot of interest in guitar lately and I'm 30 at this point, I ain't ever going to learn to play good.
So my Father in law ended up having a Martin 000X1 Auditorium Solid Spruce Top that was collecting dust (he's a drummer), and he ended up sending that over.
It's pretty much exactly what I was looking for in an acoustic guitar. Not too wide, not too bulky. It sounds good to my untrained ears.
My only regret is that it isn't an electric/acoustic for rocksmith (if I ever pick that up), but the price was right. I think I'll likely pick up a capo and I think we're all set to start trying to learn this thing.
I thought I'd check out the thread and say high because I just bought my first guitar today and I'm excited to learn how to play. I'm an older guy who always wanted to learn but never did. But now my new job as a truck driver leaves me with plenty of disposable income and free time so I figured 'why not?'. After some looking around at some of the do's and don'ts of a first guitar I went down to the local Guitar Center and talked to the two guys working there. They were very nice and helpful when I told them my situation and what I was looking for. And after some looking around I left with a shiny new electric guitar, a small battery powered practice amp, and all the various other things one will need at some point. (Tuner, extra strings, winder, etc).
So yeah, totally new, but excited. And totally open to any advice anyone wants to toss my way.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Professional lessons are gonna be the quickest way to get your basic technique nailed down. It's a lot easier than self-taught some bad habits, and then later having to re-train OUT those bad habits.
I'm actually considering professional lessons myself. I wasn't sure about going in on them because i wasn't sure how much i wanted to stick with it, but after a couple months of idling i think i need some lessons to get anywhere. I need goals to progress and i have trouble actually setting them myself.
BhowSunny day, sweeping the clouds away.On my way to where the air is sweet.Registered Userregular
edited April 2018
As someone who has been self-taught, I can't stress the importance of professional lessons enough. I'd be such a better player today if I had taken lessons when I started, even for a short while.
That said, it's not an option for some people at some times. In that case, find a few songs you really, really (really, really) love, and ask for/track down the basic chords for those songs. Then play the shit out them.
Lastly, Rocksmith. Available for PC and most consoles. I recommend this to everyone that plays guitar/bass, beginners and advanced. It's got a lot of great learning tools, and gives you the ability to "join the band" on your favorite hits of yesterday and today.
Fake edit: I got my first bass this weekend!
My beautiful, talented and insightful wife got tired of hearing of how I'd like to pick up a bass someday and ordered this beauty for my birthday! It plays fantastic, only needed a couple slight tweaks out of the box. And thanks to Rocksmith, I spent the weekend jamming with James Brown, the Supremes, Tina Turner, Donovan and Neil Young. My favorite riff (that I'm capable of playing) is Bust a Move. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy4FXhkm6Nw
I thought I'd check out the thread and say high because I just bought my first guitar today and I'm excited to learn how to play. I'm an older guy who always wanted to learn but never did. But now my new job as a truck driver leaves me with plenty of disposable income and free time so I figured 'why not?'. After some looking around at some of the do's and don'ts of a first guitar I went down to the local Guitar Center and talked to the two guys working there. They were very nice and helpful when I told them my situation and what I was looking for. And after some looking around I left with a shiny new electric guitar, a small battery powered practice amp, and all the various other things one will need at some point. (Tuner, extra strings, winder, etc).
So yeah, totally new, but excited. And totally open to any advice anyone wants to toss my way.
I was considering lessons again since I moved and there's a music store a few blocks from me but they apparently cost 3-4x what I would have paid for lessons before the move... maybe i should just rebuy rocksmith as a some thing to do
If anyone is looking for online learning resources, Amazon is running a deal right now where if you buy certain guitar accessories, you can get a free one month trial of Fender Play, which at first glance seems to be pretty decent? I just started playing around with it and it's got some easy to learn licks up front. Will be curious to see if it gets more advanced, but for something they threw in with an order of picks and a new capo, can't really complain.
"If complete and utter chaos was lightning, then he'd be the sort to stand on a hilltop in a thunderstorm wearing wet copper armour and shouting 'All gods are bastards'."
Justin Guitar is solid. It is one I used for quite a while when I finally decided seriously get into playing instead of just looking at tabs and messing around on my own once in a while.
A few other youtube guys I follow that have some good lessons:
Paul Davids - Just started a music theory series that has good info. Lots of "how to play" vids, gear comparison/reviews, and other general advice stuff. Really enjoying this one. https://www.youtube.com/user/Luapper/featured
Riffs, Beards and Gear - Vids on all types of gear. Guitars, pedals, amps, recording equipment, etc. Some good videos on getting a recording studio up on a budget as well. https://www.youtube.com/user/fluff191/featured
I've been watching some Youtube beginner videos and doing the basics. Playing down the entire fret board, then starting with 2 chords (E and A) and playing them over and over until they feel natural. (Which I'm assuming they will at some point. At the moment they're pretty rough). I'm trying to put in at least 30 minutes every day, an hour if I can. I also went ahead and looked into lessons. There's a local shop that provides lessons that has quite a few good reviews, so I'm starting there. Just waiting to hear back from them.
Had my first lesson today. Teacher was an older guy who was very cool. Lesson was only a half an hour long but he showed me 5 chords, wrote out the tab for them, then gave me a few simple progressions to practice. He said to practice the chords and the chord changes this week and next week he'll show me a couple songs I can start learning.
I gotta say it was super helpful having someone there who could tell me when I was messing up, and even more importantly when I wasn't. Until now I'd been trying to get a chord perfectly set with my fat fingers and it was slow and frustrating, but he just shook his head and said "Dude, don't worry about if the chord sounds rough. It's going to until you've done it a few thousand times." That did wonders to ease my frustration.
Sorry to necropost but I've been trying to pick guitar back up a bit recently. I'm tired of having had one so long without ever learning it or practicing much.
So I've been trying to at least pick it up one time a day if only for a few minutes to play through the pentatonic scales I've been trying to learn. (I only ever remember position 1 and 5 but I'm getting more accurate and confident with them.)
I also won 100 bucks on a lotto scratcher and bought a epiphone les paul sl for like 90 bucks. I probably need to do a bit more setup to it but it sounds and feels so much better than my monoprice strat knockoff. So now I also have an electric to practice on when my acoustic gets to rough on my fingers. I'm running it through the free version of guitar rig and a rocksmith cable though as amps are expensive!
I think I might try the blues and major scales soon.
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Do you have a budget in mind? We could offer some suggestions; different brands stand out in different price brackets.
Also, the most common size and shape of acoustic guitar you're likely to find is a dreadnaught. It's also one of the largest. If you're going to be learning with your daughter, depending on her age, you might want to look in to other sizes and shapes, like 000/OM, or down to 00 and 0 (manufacturers will refer to them with other names like Orchestra/Concert/Auditorium/Parlor guitars). If comfort is something you're looking for, that may help when looking outside of Ovations.
Edit: Added quote for context.
Again, thanks for the inputs.
For acoustic electric options (if I really want that path), is there a big difference? Should I find a good acoustic and then grab an acoustic pickup for it? Or look for something built in?
If you wanted a Martin you could probably find one for another $500 but not even a guitar snob would turn their nose up at a Takamine.
And if they would, they’re probably one of those die-hard brand loyal weirdos.
Yes do pick a guitar you can afford but like the feel of as that is very important
I do regret not really playing the last guitar I bought (like 12 years ago), I wanted a Les Paul and got one that looked great but was super heavy which turned me off to playing it.
If you find an instrument you like the sound and feel of it (and is functional), buy it. It's all personal preference when it comes to sound.
Except for the gain knob, it's not a volume knob. Also, scooped EQ sounds great in your bedroom at low volume but terrible in a larger space at high volume. I'll fight tooth and nail on those.
PSN : Bolthorn
They only had the cheapest Ovation around so I didn't get to see the full range. Also good lord acoustics feel pretty bulky. I'll need to adjust my expectations there. Maybe that's another reason Ovation felt nice to me.
She's actually pretty good with instruments. She plays viola at school and also has a mid size Ukulele that doesn't get a lot of action, but she's pretty good on the treatment of instruments. I may still err lower in the budget anyways. Also realize that a case would be a good investment so something to grab as well.
It sounds fine to me (when someone else plays it)
It cost me like 80 bucks when I got it.
I would say if you were near NW Ohio you could have mine, I've lost a lot of interest in guitar lately and I'm 30 at this point, I ain't ever going to learn to play good.
PSN : Bolthorn
It's pretty much exactly what I was looking for in an acoustic guitar. Not too wide, not too bulky. It sounds good to my untrained ears.
My only regret is that it isn't an electric/acoustic for rocksmith (if I ever pick that up), but the price was right. I think I'll likely pick up a capo and I think we're all set to start trying to learn this thing.
I thought I'd check out the thread and say high because I just bought my first guitar today and I'm excited to learn how to play. I'm an older guy who always wanted to learn but never did. But now my new job as a truck driver leaves me with plenty of disposable income and free time so I figured 'why not?'. After some looking around at some of the do's and don'ts of a first guitar I went down to the local Guitar Center and talked to the two guys working there. They were very nice and helpful when I told them my situation and what I was looking for. And after some looking around I left with a shiny new electric guitar, a small battery powered practice amp, and all the various other things one will need at some point. (Tuner, extra strings, winder, etc).
So yeah, totally new, but excited. And totally open to any advice anyone wants to toss my way.
Nintendo ID: Pastalonius
Smite\LoL:Gremlidin \ WoW & Overwatch & Hots: Gremlidin#1734
3ds: 3282-2248-0453
That said, it's not an option for some people at some times. In that case, find a few songs you really, really (really, really) love, and ask for/track down the basic chords for those songs. Then play the shit out them.
Lastly, Rocksmith. Available for PC and most consoles. I recommend this to everyone that plays guitar/bass, beginners and advanced. It's got a lot of great learning tools, and gives you the ability to "join the band" on your favorite hits of yesterday and today.
Fake edit: I got my first bass this weekend!
My beautiful, talented and insightful wife got tired of hearing of how I'd like to pick up a bass someday and ordered this beauty for my birthday! It plays fantastic, only needed a couple slight tweaks out of the box. And thanks to Rocksmith, I spent the weekend jamming with James Brown, the Supremes, Tina Turner, Donovan and Neil Young. My favorite riff (that I'm capable of playing) is Bust a Move.
for self taught, https://www.justinguitar.com/ is pretty great
A few other youtube guys I follow that have some good lessons:
Paul Davids - Just started a music theory series that has good info. Lots of "how to play" vids, gear comparison/reviews, and other general advice stuff. Really enjoying this one.
https://www.youtube.com/user/Luapper/featured
Marty Music - Variety of "how to play" vids with some gear and theory stuff sprinkled in
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmnlTWVJysjWPFiZhQ5uudg/featured
GuitarLessons365Song - Lots of note by note for playing some popular stuff
https://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarLessons365Song/featured
Edit: Another now that youtube is unborked.
Riffs, Beards and Gear - Vids on all types of gear. Guitars, pedals, amps, recording equipment, etc. Some good videos on getting a recording studio up on a budget as well.
https://www.youtube.com/user/fluff191/featured
Battle.net: IronSquirrel#1462
I gotta say it was super helpful having someone there who could tell me when I was messing up, and even more importantly when I wasn't. Until now I'd been trying to get a chord perfectly set with my fat fingers and it was slow and frustrating, but he just shook his head and said "Dude, don't worry about if the chord sounds rough. It's going to until you've done it a few thousand times." That did wonders to ease my frustration.
So I've been trying to at least pick it up one time a day if only for a few minutes to play through the pentatonic scales I've been trying to learn. (I only ever remember position 1 and 5 but I'm getting more accurate and confident with them.)
I also won 100 bucks on a lotto scratcher and bought a epiphone les paul sl for like 90 bucks. I probably need to do a bit more setup to it but it sounds and feels so much better than my monoprice strat knockoff. So now I also have an electric to practice on when my acoustic gets to rough on my fingers. I'm running it through the free version of guitar rig and a rocksmith cable though as amps are expensive!
I think I might try the blues and major scales soon.